THE Parkhead boss secured his first SPL title and defeated Barcelona before qualifying for the last 16 of the Champions League.

NEIL LENNON will hear the revellers savouring their New Year celebrations but he won’t be joining in.

Not because he’s any sort of killjoy. Quite simply, because he doesn’t want 2012 to end. In fairness, you can’t blame Lennon for looking back with pride.

As a manager, a first SPL title, a first crack at the group stages of the Champions League and a first qualification into the last 16 of Europe’s premier tournament have been marked into the outgoing calendar.

It’s hard to imagine that just six weeks before this year started, he was walking dazed down the trackside at Kilmarnock wondering if he was even good enough for the role as Celtic’s figurehead.

Yet, as he prepared his team for their final game of 2012 against Hibs at Easter Road today, Lennon summed up this 12 months by admitting it will be a wrench when they are gone.

When asked for an overriding personal emotion to sum up the year, Lennon said simply: “Pride. A huge amount of pride.

“You don’t have time to reflect in this job. You sit on it for a day or two and then you go again. But it’s one of those years where you don’t want it to end, really.

“And it will be quite poignant when it does end, in terms of what we’ve achieved in winning the championship and then, obviously, the titanic games in the Champions League.

“Qualification for the group stages was imperative. With all the stuff that happened in the summer and with the economic climate we live in, it was pivotal for the club.

“I’m not just talking about the football staff but the people behind the scenes.

“They may have been out of work but the fact we qualified and brought money into the club has kept people in jobs. Important people at the club who work behind the scenes.

“We were making cuts left, right and centre as were all the other clubs in the country. So to bring that money in helped to save jobs. I’ve really, really enjoyed it, but you always worry about what’s ahead of you.”

Lennon celebrates victory over Barcelona

Lennon’s note of caution says much for his appreciation of his position. Management is harsh, admiration can be short-lived.

The fans who have lauded him for his stunning achievements in Europe were the same ones who posed questions over his abilities on days such as the League Final loss to Kilmarnock, or the Scottish Cup semi-final loss to Hearts.Lennon accepts this and uses them as motivating factors.

He said: “What’s the next step? We might get to the last eight of the Champions League. That’s the next challenge for me.

“Can we maintain this run in the league? Can we play the football that brings the punters in through the door? Everything is relative. Every manager is under pressure for different reasons.

“Barry Smith is under pressure to stay up. There will be managers under pressure in the bottom six to stay up and then bosses in the top six under pressure to stay there.

“There are guys such as Stuart McCall, Craig Brown, Terry Butcher and Pat Fenlon wanting to challenge us to get into Europe. And then there’s pressure on me to win the title, trophies and the European Cup!

“Regardless of your position and status in the game, if you’re a boss, you are under pressure.

“It’s a precarious job as we’ve seen in recent days. Sean O’Driscoll lost his job as Nottingham Forest manager. I watched them win against Leeds and thought they were great and then he’s sacked with the team one point away from the play-offs.

“Then Henning Berg has a 57 day job and he thinks: Is it worth it? Everyone says we are going to win six or seven in a row, that does not really float my boat. Each season has its own challenges and its own merits.

“I just think about making a steady progression and turning this team and club into the way it was under Martin O’Neill and Gordon Strachan.

“That takes time and patience and development. Not just from the players but from myself. Every season is another challenge. Every competition is another challenge.

“Everyone has us winning the Treble this season but it has only been done three times in the history of the club.

“Despite Rangers being here (SPL) or not, they did not win a trophy last season, so that’s academic. It is a huge challenge that lies ahead for us but I hope its one we’ll take.”

The Celtic boss is looking forward to 2013

Challenges, of course, are what drive Lennon.

There have been good times and bad throughout his years at Celtic as a player and manager, yet the feeling remains he can’t do without it, warts and all.

Indeed, the manager has confessed that he’s going to have to learn to find ways of escaping the tensions. Releasing the pressure valve.

By his own admission, for all the highlights of the year, he’s barely had time to enjoy them, quickly moving to the next task or dealing with the next club situation.

While the players are having a break in Marbella next month, he won’t stop and said: “I’ll be away watching players. I’m hoping to get a week away with the family but, even then, I might have to go and watch games while I’m away, so it is virtually 12 months in the year.

“Even when you’re on holiday, the chief executive rings every day and asks about this player or that player, or can we get this contract signed?

“Maybe what I’ve got to learn is how to deconstruct the week a little bit better, deconstruct the year a little bit better and try to find some time to get away from the club and the football side of things. But I love it. I do enjoy it and it really does keep you ticking over at times.”